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What to know about the race for Illinois governor
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Republican Darren Bailey and independent candidate Collin Corbett are on the ballot in the race for governor in the Nov. 3 general election.
Chicopee business owner talks about effects of theft
CHICOPEE — With recent theft stores happening across the commonwealth, Chicopee business owner Raj Sanghvi is looking for Massachusetts to either get stricter laws or for people to be more fearful of stealing.
Measure B: San Diego County Health & Safety Act
In this 2026 General Election guide, explore an in-depth explanation of San Diego County's Measure B, including pros and cons, endorsements and key arguments to help voters make informed decisions.
Trump says Secret Service wants him to ‘take down’ Oval Office
The president also said he is looking into designating the White House room as a “federal landmark,” potentially preserving his changes.
California governor rivals clash over costs, homelessness, and Trump in only debate
Steve Hilton cast himself as a change candidate while Xavier Becerra defended his experience in a heated California governor debate.
Wake Forest-CINCIA researchers brief pope on Amazon mercury pollution
"We put more than a decade of Wake Forest and CINCIA-led scientific evidence on mercury contamination in the Amazon directly into the hands of the pope."
Entertainment this week: Party in the Sky, A Liar’s Cruise and more
Thursday, October 1 Football Fun at Alibi – 12-9 p.m., Alibi Ale Works – Truckee Public House, 10069 Bridge St. Watch football at Alibi. Come save your spot and get some beer for every NFL...
Expected Timeline for Mental Health Coverage Rule Slips to 2027
A forthcoming proposal overhauling how the federal government regulates employers’ mental health coverage is now expected next year, according to a legal filing from the Trump administration.
Coastal Health District to host no-cost breast cancer screenings across Georgia counties
Coastal Health District is offering no-cost breast cancer screenings at events across Georgia counties this October. Here is the full list.
FSU and Tallahassee Memorial finalize FSU Health agreement
Both parties announced they are in agreement on lease and operating agreements and other documents outlining their academic and clinical structure.
Candidates keep Iowa’s 4th District debate civil despite policy differences
Republican Chris McGowan and Democrat Dave Dawson disagreed on several issues but also found common ground during their first major debate of the election cycle, hosted by KTIV in Sioux City.
TikTok added $12 billion to California businesses last year, report says
After being nearly banned in the U.S. over privacy concerns and launching a new U.S. joint venture, TikTok touts its contributions to California's economy.
Elon Musk to return his attention to government, advise Pentagon on future of war
Musk will join Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on a panel for what the Defense Department is calling Project Meridian.
Crewe run frustrating but squad is confident
Crewe Alexandra midfielder Joe White says the run of six draws in a row is frustrating but has given them confidence they are hard to beat.
Real conservation efforts don’t ignore areas based on business
'Let us work toward real California 30x30 protections without rejecting key ecosystems for inclusion due to the clout of timber and agribusiness interests,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
Evolution and climate change are missing from Florida's proposed science standards
The Florida Department of Education held its first listening session at Armwood High School. Some teachers brought up their concerns about missing topics, such as evolution.
Analysis | Trump’s playing his greatest hits. They don’t work as well as they used to.
With midterm elections a month away, the president is turning the audacity up to 11 as he labors to reverse his party’s decline in the polls.
Max Amini says comedy can bridge divide between Iran and America
The L.A.-based Iranian American comedian, who is touted as being the world's most watched comedian on the internet, comes home to the Dolby Theatre for six shows starting this weekend.
A father lost his son at Rolling Loud. That real-life panic inspired a comedy
Actors Matt Rife and Owen Wilson of "Rolling Loud: The Movie" look back at the chaos of filming at a real-life music festival.
L.A.-raised comic Jack Assadourian Jr. turns his Mexican Armenian roots into fearless new comedy special
Comedian Jack Assadourian Jr. on exploring his Mexican and Armenian roots through humor, family and his journey to embracing his identity.
Proposition 134: Colorado voters asked to ban transgender kids from gendered sports
The measure would require that kids from kindergarten through college play on school sports teams that match their biological sex, not their preferred gender
Picanha, prices and politics: What Brazil's favorite steak says about the election
Lula promised Brazilians four years ago they'd be able to afford picanha again. Now, as he seeks another term, the price of the country's favorite cut of beef is telling a different story.
Bass lawyers help influencers file complaint against Raman campaign
Two influencers have accused Nithya Raman's mayoral campaign of paying social media influencers who improperly disclosed the payments. The legal fees for their complaint are being covered by Mayor Karen Bass' mayoral campaign.
Political climate has so soured for GOP, even Mississippi Democrats are hopeful
A Democrat hasn’t won a Senate race in the state since 1982, but a young district attorney has a message for party officials and donors: “If we try, we win these voters.”
Picanha, prices and politics: What Brazil's favorite steak says about the election
Lula promised Brazilians four years ago they'd be able to afford picanha again. Now, as he seeks another term, the price of the country's favorite cut of beef is telling a different story.
Trump administration reverses stance on integration of people with disabilities
Disability rights advocates are angered by the latest reversal but are rallying behind proposed legislation and working with states to strengthen protections for community integration.
Trump loses favor with crypto fans who call him out for cashing in
The president’s 2024 campaign leaned into crypto to attract young men, a demographic that is deserting Republicans in the midterms.
Gunvor publicly condemned Russia’s war but continued to do business with Russian energy firms, records show
Even as the trading giant publicly claimed to be winding down its Russia business, Gunvor privately acknowledged the deals to its bank, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, saying they complied with sanctions laws.
September Monthly Review: Health MCP Guy?
For all the time I spend talking about APIs and data exchange, this newsletter has had embarrassingly little interoperability of its own. It’s old-school SaaS, baby - UI or bust. Not all of that is my fault! Substack, for all its popularity, is (as mentioned before) really frustrating as my system of record. The primary user it optimizes towards is the reader, whose attention feeds the app, the Notes feed, and the recommendation network that Substack is actually selling. Health API Guy is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe They’re falling into the same trap that Medium once sprinted into, albeit at a much more glacial speed. Younger generations may not remember (or never knew) it, but Medium once lured publications like The Ringer and Signal v. Noise onto its platform, only to lose them as it rebuilt itself around a paywall and an algorithmic feed. Substack’s original pitch circa 2020 was the antidote (you own your list), but every new feed feature chips away at it. I get it: writers are generic supply in the eyes of the Substack product team. Generic supply follows demand, so the consistent pressure on the PMs is to generate demand, which leads to every product cycle going toward discovery (Notes, recommendations, the app, live video). The end result lackluster author tools (laggy and broken analytics are truly crippling) all despite the premium price point. The archive is where it crosses from authorial gripes to actual reader impact, though. Across Substack and LinkedIn, I’ve published 1,218 posts and nearly 900,000 words since 2018. Substack’s native search can see only the 464 posts that live on Substack, and even there it’s woefully inadequate at surfacing relevant content (even for the guy who wrote it)! Readers have the same problem, writ large. Ask the Archive Fixing search (for both my readers and my own use) turned out to be extremely non-trivial, unfortunately: There’s no public API for readers to access content RSS exists for new content notification, but it only carries the 20 most recent posts and cuts paid ones off at the preview The only Substack MCP is an admin tool for analytics The export exists for authors, but it’s painfully awkward and slow. So I built something to work around that: the Health API Guy MCP. It’s a private MCP server holding the full text of everything I’ve written across Substack and LinkedIn. Add it to Claude or ChatGPT as a connector and you can ask things like: It pairs keyword search (for acronyms and case names, of which we have many) with semantic search. Every post is also labeled by topic, form, and court case, so you can pull a lawsuit’s (or multiple cases’) entire docket across Substack and LinkedIn in one query: Hail, Healthapiguyhydra This is also a bit of me eating my own cooking. I’ve spent the year arguing that headless healthcare is arriving and that developers want primitives over abstractions. Last week in Hail, Benihydra, I watched Salesforce plug its platform into Claude and bet that the records underneath outlive whatever interface sits on top: Salesforce must believe that the Hydra’s immortal head is the records, permissions, and business logic (in that they will survive whatever happens to the interface). It felt a bit hypocritical to keep my own archive behind a Substack search bar. The archive is the body. Substack is one head, and now whatever tool you might use is another. Will the EHRs follow my lead? Probably not imminently, but one can hope! Why Founding Members Only The MCP is available to Founding Member subscribers. A few reasons: It costs money and time to run. Hosting, the database, Clerk usage and AI compute for search and labeling are significant operational costs (that increase with usage). Substack gives me no way to automate access. There’s no API to check whether someone is a paid subscriber, so every user is manual operations for now. It’s a beta. We’ll need to improve things and parts will break. I’d rather they break for a small group of dedicated readers who will tell me about it. The Founding tier deserved a real benefit. Until now it was mostly a generous tip. Now it comes with something. If you’re already a Founding Member, reply to this email with the address you’d like provisioned. If you’re not and want in, upgrade here. Larger teams (such as companies) can get access too: group subscriptions at the Founding tier come with the group discount. The admin for the subscription can reply with the list of addresses to provision. Get 20% off a group subscription Pricing Founding membership is now a flat $200 a year, replacing the old suggested $150 that readers could adjust. Existing Founding Members will have access grandfathered in at their previous rate. Month in Review Articles Published Make Networks Dumb Again (Sep 11): AI is making old analog networks cheaper to use and flooding them with machine traffic in the process. A plea for agent-native rails with the intelligence at the endpoints, and for Washington to drag them to ubiquity. Interoperability, Unbuttoned (Sep 29): Interoperability is a series of workflows in a trenchcoat, and this post finally takes the trenchcoat off. A color-coded map shows which provider workflows went digital, which are fragmented, and which still run on fax. Video Content Antitrust’s System of Record Problem (Sep 3): The FTC’s investigation into Epic prompted a ninety-minute webinar, now posted with chapters and a smoothed transcript. We get into why market definition, missing B2B share data, and the SSNIP test leave antitrust poorly suited to systems of record, plus why information blocking may be doing more than any pending lawsuit. The Information Exchange: Cerner Milking Edition (Sep 18): This was so fucking fun. Ryan Tucker, Ryan Brickner, Brad Thorson, and I try an Around the Horn format, complete with points, penalties, and a mute button. We debate whether Oracle Health is dead, who would actually buy Cerner (IBM enters the chat), p(Doom), and why the front desk still hands you a clipboard. Regulatory Ask Not What Your Network Can Do (Sep 23): CDC’s RFI on public health data intermediaries lists use cases already served, unevenly, by eCR, lab reporting, IZ Gateway, and syndromic surveillance. The real opportunity sits in one question about AI: a network that can handle the next emergency without another interface project. Court cases Particle v. Epic: The Naughty Schoolteacher (Sep 4): After a summer-long vigil, the answer on Epic’s early summary judgment bid is two paragraphs and a remedial assignment. Particle advances to the next grade, and market definition gets another year of discovery. The Epic Discovery Files (Sep 8): Texas’s motions to compel arrive with a 251-page appendix of requests, objections, and meet-and-confer letters with Cravath. Inside: Epic using generative AI for document review, denied interoperability requests in scope, and Noerr-Pennington raised against lobbying discovery. Epic v. Health Gorilla: “Working as Designed” (Sep 9): Epic wants nothing to do with the data breach MDL, and explaining why puts fresh discovery on the public docket. The spiciest allegation: Health Gorilla told GuardDog to scrub its law firm business from its website instead of cutting off access. Veeva v. Epic: Legal Bypass Surgery (Sep 15): Veeva asks the Wisconsin Supreme Court to skip the Court of Appeals, while law professors and three policy groups line up as amici. Meanwhile, Epic’s lawyers apologize for another round of citation errors, including a quote that never existed. Texas v. Epic: Behind the Black Bars (Sep 17): The court portal served up Epic’s unredacted filings, revealing a $5 million document review budget and the AI workflow behind it. Also inside: the 200-plus company names Texas wants searched, and one very expensive Zoom invitation. OpenEvidence v. Doximity: Consequences Will Follow (Sep 25): OpenEvidence tells the court it will not comply with a discovery order, and its own lawyers at Quinn Emanuel say they won’t defend the choice. Add years of Slack reported unrecoverable, and Rule 37 sanctions come into view. Health Tech Keeps Choosing Violence (Sep 28): Doximity moves to end OpenEvidence’s case, Epic asks Texas to show its work, and a sleepy Audacious Inquiry patent fight sprouts antitrust and information blocking counterclaims. The main event is a long-sealed Cognizant v. Infosys ruling that hints where system of record antitrust claims can survive. EHRs One Verb for Oracle Health (Sep 14): Oracle’s earnings call quantifies every data center to the decimal point, while Oracle Health gets a single verb: “accelerate.” Panning the few healthcare mentions turns up an agentic care management system, a research-to-care ledger play, and the question of whether healthcare gets Larry’s patience. Epic’s Forretress Under Siege (Sep 30): Judy Faulkner tells a panel Epic paused hundreds of projects to harden its software and calls it a “shame,” while a spokesperson insists the roadmap hasn’t changed. Project Glasswing, a Pokémon-branded QAN sprint, and a trove of Jodel grievances reconcile the two Epics and preview the Jevons paradox coming for all software. Industry Analysis Scanning for a Network (Sep 1): Scan.com raises $220M to build the imaging network labs never got, speedrunning Zocdoc’s consumer-to-B2B pivot. Its wedge to network density may be the most American one available: personal injury litigation. The Front Desk Wants the Damn Whole Building (Sep 16): Hello Patient buys Converse Health, pushing its AI front desk into referrals, chart work, and prior auth. The copilot categories keep blurring, and your distribution partner is still your final boss. Cross-industry Comparisons A Different Patchwork Quilt (Sep 10): Healthcare loves to envy open banking, but the US version has no mandate, a toll booth at Chase, and data quality problems of its own. The grass isn’t greener; it’s another American patchwork quilt, and perhaps a worse one. Hail, Benihydra (Sep 21): Salesforce brings its platform into Claude, Slack, and its own agent, inviting the interfaces that might replace it. Cut off one head and more grow back, so long as the records underneath stay put. Living on A Trade Secret Prayer (Sep 22): Six credit unions are suing Fiserv, the Epic of core banking, by claiming their own member records as trade secrets. Banking has no Cures Act, so its lawyers reach for legal alchemy that healthcare has already tried. Other News None this month External Media Nabla Accelerate NYC: I kicked off fall conference season at Nabla’s Accelerate event in New York, where Delphine Groll opened by asking the room to picture the company it wants to become and the one it doesn’t. I liked her framework of bureaucracy, fear, and ego as the blockers. I also love vendor conferences/events in general - different vibe than industry biggies. Healthcare 101 with Nikhil Krishnan: I briefly guest lectured Out-Of-Pocket’s Healthcare 101 class. Appreciated Nikhil’s takeaways cover whether AI doctors can query HIEs, why healthcare’s data-liberation rules beat most industries’, and the hi-res graphic is in the comments. HCN: Epic Probed by the FTC: I joined the HCN guys to talk through the FTC’s investigation into Epic. Cedric’s new hairdo was an unexpected plot twist. The episode also covers MFN drug pricing, healthcare M&A and Eli Lilly’s acquisition streak. Fall Conferences: At eHealth Exchange’s Annual Meeting in Austin on Oct 27, I’ll moderate a panel on the tensions between AI, HIEs, and timely patient access with Jean Ross (Primary Record), Therasa Bell (Kno2), Byron Crowe (Doctronic), and Michael Marchant (Freenome). Here’s the rest of my schedule if you want to meet up: CommonWell (Redwood Shores, CA): Oct 13-14 Will be participating in a fun Jeopardy event Open@Epic (Madison, WI): Oct 20-23 Will be enjoying Verona, Willy Street, and other local adventures eHealth Exchange and Sequoia Project (Austin, TX): Oct 27-29 Yeehaw HLTH (Vegas): Nov 15-18 Groundhog Day, Venetian Edition RSNA (Chicago): Nov 30-Dec 2 See me at “Governing AI in Breast Imaging: What Health Systems Are Actually Doing” Digital Health Counsel 2026 AI Summit (Seattle): December 2-3 Will likely be speaking to a bunch of lawyers about information blocking Posts I Liked ChatGPT’s Epic integration: game changer or nothing burger?: Joshua Liu, MD offers five thoughts on OpenAI’s Epic launch, starting from the point that it rides the same open APIs available to anyone. He argues read-only access leaves ordering to Art and the ambient startups, and asks why HCA is piloting it alongside Commure. He’s sorta a must-follow at this point - consistently excellent, thought-provoking takes. Epic, Lilly, and the Discovery pass: Seth Chaney reads Epic’s first major Discovery deal (with Eli Lilly), as well as its revised developer terms on commercial displays, as the pipe finally opening between EHRs and pharma. Life sciences and health continue to collide. Scott Rossignol on EHR payer platforms and ePA fees: Scott argues the top ambulatory EHR vendors are turning the prior auth mandate into a per-member-per-year toll on payers, for an API whose operating cost has nothing to do with covered lives. His fix is two lines of regulatory text: put the CRD/DTR/PAS certification criteria in the Base EHR definition, and bring payer-facing ePA connectivity under § 170.404’s cost-based fee rules. It’s a good solution. Health API Guy is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Anthem Draws on Behavioural Science for New “Healthy Influence”
The new approach draws on research into social and behavioural science that focuses on attention, emotion and trust.
No longer a secret, Nathan Fielder's Elizabeth Holmes doc 'You Can See Everything' lands in New York
No longer a secret, “You Can See Everything,” Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary, has premiered at the New York Film Festival
Weekly Entertainment Report: Live music and lively arts, Oct. 1-4 » Nashua Ink Link
Live music and entertainment abound. Go get some.
Presidents rarely visit Indian Country. Trump’s planned Choctaw Nation rally will be the latest
President Donald Trump is holding a campaign rally in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Here's who won the Hilton-Becerra debate for California governor
Three Times columnists weigh in on the only scheduled face-to-face debate in the race for California governor.
Wynonna Judd confirms she and sister Ashley Judd are on the outs
Country star Wynonna Judd has revealed, ahead of her new album release, that she and sister Ashley Judd are currently taking a break from their relationship.
Kirk Cousins has seven consecutive victories as a starter
Kirk Cousins is still a bridge quarterback for the Raiders, holding down the starting job until No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is ready.
Gregg Allman documentary to be screened at Kamin Science Center
Fans of Gregg Allman and the Allman Brothers Band will have a chance to experience his story on the big screen when the documentary “Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul” comes to the Kamin Science Center starting today. Presented by longtime Pittsburgh concert promoter Rich Engler, the 96-minute documentary explores the life, music, and […]
MIT Mathematics Department announces new Master of Science in Mathematics of Data
Applications open as many MIT departments consider expanding master’s degree offerings.
UN Decade of Healthy Ageing midpoint report finds progress, calls for greater investment
New evidence in the Secretary-General's report to the 81st UN General Assembly, prepared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in coordination with the UN system, finds more countries acting on healthy ageing than ever before – but longer lives will not become healthy, dignified ones without faster, more sustained investment at country level.(NEW YORK, 28 September 2026) The Secretary-General transmitted to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly the mid-term progress report on the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), marking the midpoint of the ten-year global effort to improve the lives of older people. The report was prepared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in coordination with the UN Inter-Agency Group on Ageing and with inputs from thirteen UN entities, the World Bank Group and civil society partners. It finds real progress in countries – and persistent gaps that must close before 2030.The number of people aged 60 and over passed 1 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050, with the fastest growth in low- and middle-income countries. Longer lives are not automatically healthy ones: globally, the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy at age 60 widened between 2000 and 2023, and an estimated 71% of excess deaths from COVID-19 between 2020 and 2023 were among people aged 60 and over. “Longer lives are one of humanity’s great achievements, but we cannot congratulate ourselves while leaving millions without health and support,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, Director, Department of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, WHO. “The first half of the Decade has shown what is possible. The second half must be about scaling and financing the progress to meet the needs and rights of older persons.”Real progress, unevenly sharedThe report finds that more countries than ever now have legislation against age-based discrimination – up from 44.5% in 2018 to 57.7% today – and over half now have national long-term care policies, up from 49% in 2023 to 56.7%, dedicated programmes to build age-friendly environments (54.6%), and comprehensive health and social assessments of older people (54.6%). New WHO guidance on services for long-term care and for Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) delivered in communities is enabling systemic change as an increasing number of countries incorporate these services within national universal health care benefit packages. A host of UN agencies and other partners support training, increasing health workforce competencies and use of digital health tools.“This report shows the Decade of Healthy Ageing is working,” said Dr Ritu Sadana, Head of the WHO Secretariat for the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. “More countries are legislating against ageism, providing integrated care, strengthening long-term care systems, and creating age-friendly environments than ever before, in all regions and income levels. But progress is uneven and in one area, regressive: fewer countries report active multi-stakeholder forums on ageing, down from 53.1% in 2020 to 43.3% today. The second half of this Decade must turn commitments into results, in every country.”The financing gap: this Decade's binding constraintFinancing remains the binding constraint: more than a third of reporting countries (33.8%) have very little or no dedicated resources to develop long-term care, with similar shortfalls across the Decade’s other priority areas. Less than half of countries (45.4%) have legislation providing access to assistive devices (including hearing aids, spectacles or rollators), which are key to enabling older people to maintain productive, independent and dignified lives. Only 22.7% of countries can track older people’s health over time – the largest gap across the Decade’s core progress indicators. Nationally representative information is needed in each country, as policies and interventions cannot be designed as if all older adults of a given age share similar needs and capacities. The report calls for sustained investment through national budgets, country-owned plans, development cooperation and innovative financing mechanisms to fully close these gaps by 2030.“The Decade was designed as a whole-of-UN effort, and this report shows it in action,” said Amal Abou Rafeh, Chief of the Programme on Ageing Section at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), and Permanent Co-Chair of the UN Inter-Agency Group on Ageing. “Thirteen UN entities, the World Bank group and civil society organizations contributed to this report, with WHO as the lead technical and implementing agency. That is the model of coordination the second half of the Decade will need to scale, with countries leading legislation, funding and implementation, engaging older people.”“Investing in healthy ageing is not simply a cost; it is one of the highest-return investments a government can make,” said Fiona Stewart, Global Lead for Ageing and Pensions at the World Bank Group. “Countries that invest early in integrated and long-term care see savings that outweigh the upfront cost many times over. The evidence in this report makes the economic case; what is now needed is predictable financing at country level to act on it, along with efforts to support older entrepreneurs and the silver economy.”Older people's own voicesThe report also draws on the direct experience of older people themselves, including a multilingual global survey conducted by the International Federation on Ageing that reached more than 1000 older people across 58 countries. WHO and UN partners called on Member States to use the second half of the Decade to accelerate implementation, strengthen data systems, and secure the financing needed so that the gains of longer lives reach older people everywhere. About the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030)Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 2020, the Decade is a global collaboration bringing together governments, UN agencies, civil society, the private sector, academia and older people themselves to improve the lives of older people, their families and communities. It is coordinated by the World Health Organization together with the UN Inter-Agency Group on Ageing. The Decade's mid-term progress report was transmitted to the General Assembly by the Secretary-General, prepared by WHO, and is available in 6 languages.Full Report available: A/81/366 Implementation of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030): Note by Secretary-General [ العربية | 中文 | English | Français | Pусский | Español
West Branch FFA members attend Farm Science Review
BELOIT — On Sept. 23, members of the West Branch FFA Chapter traveled to London, Ohio, to attend the 2026 Farm Science Review. Students, along with their FFA advisors, spent the day exploring exhibits and learning more about the many different parts of the agriculture industry. Throughout the day, members had the opportunity to see […]
What Does Your Office Say About Your Business? by Jennifer Kraner
What does your space say about you and your business? More importantly, does it give you the best possible first impression? The minute a client, customer or patient walks through your door, they’re forming an opinion about your business – sometimes consciously, sometimes without even realizing it. Your space is communicating something about you, whether you intend it to or not. At Big Sky Design, we work with all kinds of commercial businesses, including many medical practices, law firms and other corporate offices, and I’ve seen first hand how much thoughtful design can influence that first impression. For businesses in medical, legal, and financial fields, three things are particularly important: trust, privacy and professionalism. Your space should communicate all three while also reflecting who you are as a business. That can be challenging, especially in a new construction project. Often, so much of the budget goes toward the actual construction that things like lighting, comfortable seating, artwork and finishing touches get pushed to the side. But those are often the elements that make a space feel complete – and memorable. Think about your waiting room. Is it comfortable? Is the lighting welcoming? Does the layout make sense? When someone walks through the door, do they immediately know where to go and whom to speak with? In a medical office, there’s another important consideration: privacy. Reception areas can become surprisingly noisy places, with phone calls, conversations between staff and patients, and people discussing personal information. Hard surfaces throughout a space allow sound to bounce around, making it difficult to maintain privacy. We recently worked with an eye doctor's office that had exactly this problem. The reception desk had a large opening, and staff were making and taking phone calls right next to patients who were waiting. We designed an acoustic treatment that acted as a divider between the staff and waiting areas. It absorbed sound, but it also became a branded design element. It was a visual reminder to everyone in the space to be mindful of their voices and what others might be able to hear. Those kinds of thoughtful details can make a tremendous difference. And good commercial design doesn't have to mean making your space flashy. Sometimes it’s as simple as a calming color palette, beautiful artwork, plants, carefully selected lighting or comfortable upholstered furniture. In a medical setting, those touches can help soften what might otherwise feel clinical and reduce anxiety for patients who are already nervous about an appointment. I’ve been in waiting rooms where everyone feels packed together, and you can hear every conversation – even what’s happening in the restroom next door. That’s not the experience you want to create. Your office should also feel like your business. Are you telling people that you’re clean and modern? Sophisticated and unique? Warm and welcoming? Or, unintentionally, are you telling them that your business is outdated? You don’t necessarily need a complete renovation to change that message. Fresh paint, updated lighting, new artwork, better seating or a few branded design elements can make a space feel current and intentional. At Big Sky Design, we’ve worked with radiology, dermatology, and dental practices, among many others. Every practice is different, but the goal is always the same: creating a space that reflects the business behind it and gives every person who walks through the door a positive first impression. Because your office is part of your brand. Make sure it’s telling the story you want people to hear. Read more at bigskydesignonline.com.
Fredonia hires business, tech teachers
The Fredonia Central School District has filled nearly all of its teaching vacancies with a few recent hires. At a recent Board of Education meeting, Emily Johnson was appointed to a four-year probationary Business and Marketing teaching position. Johnson holds Initial Certification in Business and Marketing, and has taught at multiple districts. She also possesses […]
Pregnant 'DWTS' pro Witney Carson shuts down elimination gossip
'DWTS' pro Witney Carson took to social media following Week 3 of Season 35 to address rumors that she wished to be voted off alongside celebrity partner Guillermo Rodriguez because of her pregnancy.
What bills did Gavin Newsom sign into law — or veto — in his final year leading California?
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed hundreds of bills in his final year leading the state. They include new laws on voting, immigration, data centers and insurance.
Human remains from nearly 80 burials found at UC Davis Health Sacramento campus
Human remains from unidentified burials were discovered by construction crews at UC Davis Health's Sacramento campus in February, officials said.
White House touts big-ticket projects in hope of swaying key races
With few tools to bring down prices in the short run, Trump hopes to focus voters on investments that could pay off in years to come.
Ella Langley paused concert to address online bullies
Ella Langley's rapid rise hasn't come without its drawbacks, and the country singer is getting candid about the dark side of life in the spotlight.
Business owners and residents ready for major Capitol Drive construction project to end
A four-mile stretch of Capitol Drive in Waukesha and Milwaukee counties is in its final weeks of a resurfacing project that has frustrated drivers and businesses since March.
Chris Brown dog attack case: Court grants new trial over $13M payment
A Los Angeles judge sides with Chris Brown, granting the singer and his team's motion for a new trial on the nearly $13 million owed to the housekeeper injured in a vicious dog attack.
Detroit Legacy Business Project helps longtime businesses, round 4 deadline approaching
Detroit is offering financial support to some of its most recognizable longtime businesses through the Detroit Legacy Business Project, a grant program designed to help establishments that have served the community for 30 or more years.
Trump says ‘only Hispanic’ could survive fall at ballroom site
Trump invited attendees of a Hispanic Heritage Month to be among the first to walk on his ballroom floor.
Senator Marsha Blackburn Sues Over Jack Smith’s Subpoena During Trump Inquiry
The lawsuit, brought by Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, tests the reach of the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause.
Troy Jackson's Gaza misstep shows him struggling with a big step up to national politics
Jackson is working through one of the most divisive issues on the left while running against strongly pro-Israel Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Sean Combs' release pushed up, as report details pampered lifestyle
An earlier release date for Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been set, once again, just as an NBC News report claims the disgraced rapper and producer is living a pampered lifestyle in federal prison.
State leaders tout Oklahoma's Rural Health Transformation Program
Gov. Kevin Stitt was joined by State Health Commissioner Keith Reed at Southwestern University in Weatherford to announce the latest update on Oklahoma’s Rural Health Transformation Program.
EPA’s Chemical Science Aims to Speed Reviews, Limit Animal Tests
Scientists transferred into the EPA’s chemicals office are working on new methods of assessing chemicals and pesticides to help the agency reduce the backlog of substance assessments it’s charged with doing.
CDC's Latest Youth Behavior Report Offers a Narrower Look at Teen Health
The new report leaves out national findings on substance use, sexual behavior, violence, and disparities.
Midtwon Costco to close Thursday, reopen as business center in spring 2027
Costco Wholesale in Midtwon Kansas City, Missouri, is set to close Thursday. The reatiler aims to reopen the store as a Costco Business Center in spring 2027.
Zi-Kui Liu receives theory award from Materials Research Society
Zi-Kui Liu, the Corning Faculty Fellow in Materials Science and Engineering in the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, will receive the 2026 Materials Theory Award from the Materials Research Society.
Governor Stein announces $20 million fund to increase access to healthcare in rural North Carolina
$20 million fund aims to expand healthcare in rural North Carolina
IDEaS & AWS Launch Upskilling Course for Faculty, Research Engineers, and IT Specialists Working in Health Science Research
The fall cohort of 18 researchers will participate in a free, fully remote, 5-week program.
Paws and Stripes works support veterans mental health
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, although the month is almost over, Paws and Stripes has made it their mission to support veterans and their mental h…
Chad Lowe announces death of 13-year-old daughter Fiona
The family of 'Life Goes On' star Chad Lowe announces the death of 13-year-old daughter Fiona. 'She was the light of our lives,' the family wrote and included information for a mental health lifeline.
Aurora ordinance targets concentration of high-risk businesses in lower-income neighborhoods
The Socioeconomic Impact — or SEI — permit will require new high-risk businesses, such as pawn shops and liquor stores, to open at least 2,000 feet away from a similar existing business.
Rural MAHA followers say Trump hasn't improved health of their communities, an AP-KFF poll finds
The findings signal an apparent disconnect between the Trump administration’s MAHA-branded policy priorities and rural America’s perception of their reach and effectiveness.
Ex-Genentech, Meta, AWS AI leaders launch health AI lab with $500M backing
A new frontier artificial intelligence lab for healthcare launched with a $500 million commitment from Thoreau. | The AI startup, Ortet plans to build a full-stack platform for health, spanning compute and data infrastructure, frontier research and model development and deployment.
Secret phone-record seizure sparks personal lawsuit from GOP senator
Marsha Blackburn's lawsuit targets Jack Smith personally, arguing the special counsel was never lawfully appointed and violated her constitutional rights.
Medical Records Firm Uses AI Tool to Expose Flaws that Threaten Patient Privacy
Epic’s engineers deployed an Anthropic tool that exposed security risks that could allow undetected access to millions of patient records.
18th Annual Mental Health Awareness Event Expands Learning and Access to Care
18th Annual Mental Health Awareness Event Expands Learning and Access to Care
Salish Kootenai College business students raise scholarship funds for incoming freshmen
SKC business students are raising $10,000 for the Future Bison Scholarship to support incoming freshmen at Salish Kootenai College.
Romanian lawmakers reject a new center-right Cabinet as political crisis deepens
Romanian lawmakers have rejected a new center-right Cabinet proposed by Siegfried Muresan, deepening the country's political crisis
Demanding schedule will gauge Hearts progress
With the domestic season on pause, it is time for Hearts to take a breath and reflect on what has been a whirlwind start to the season. For new head coach Wouter Vrancken, there was precious little time to settle in before the European qualifiers arrived in mid-July. Since then, Hearts have played 15 matches in just 61 days with a record of six wins, four draws and five defeats.
As AI political deepfakes go viral, lawmakers struggle to keep up – 2 states’ laws show limits of what they can do
Most states require warnings on AI-generated political ads, but studies show these disclosures do little to alter people’s willingness to share the content. Most states have legislated election deepfakes by requiring a warning 28 states require disclosures on the media
Alta Hometown Days Returns This Weekend With Expanded Entertainment
Alta Hometown Days returns this weekend with an expanded lineup of entertainment and activities planned throughout the Buena Vista County community. The two-day event is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, […]
LA County Public Health fell short in response to Chiquita Canyon landfill issues, audit says
An underground reaction at the Chiquita Canyon landfill has produced chemicals and bad odors for years.
House Speaker Johnson stumping for CA GOP congressional candidates
House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to visit California on Wednesday to stump and fundraise for Republican candidates in a state that could determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives during President Trump's final two years in office.
Montana's ballot measure on political spending, explained
Frustration over outside groups' political spending, and the mailers and TV ads that go along with it, is what the supporters of Initiative 194 say they’re responding to.
The Mental Health Association Data Breach Settlement Agreed
The Mental Health Association, a Chicopee, Massachusetts-based human services agency that provides substance use recovery and support services for The Mental Health Association, a Massachusetts-based human services agency, has agreed to a settlement to resolve class action litigation over a November 2024 cyberattack and data breach that affected 12,633 individuals.
High gas prices have voters switching parties and voting for the first time
Gas prices are reshaping voter attitudes in a longtime Republican Georgia county, with some backing Democrats while others remain firmly loyal to Trump.
GBH Daily: When everyone agreed on healthcare
New from the Big Dig team.
Travel plans? Here's what to know as measles exposures reach trains and games
Measles is traveling, with outbreaks in Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York, and exposures on transportation and in sports. What should you know before getting on a plane or train?
Business Roundup: Club Car Wash, Johnson Paws, Express Ice and Water
Club Car Wash, Johnson Paws Grooming and Express Ice and Water are three new businesses in Ashland.
Magnifica Air's all-business approach to luxury air travel is getting ready for take off
As its launch date draws near, we talk to Magnifica Air’s Wade Black about the airline's unique offering
The Witcher 3 Remastered Crushes GPUs With Path Tracing, but Free Mod Claws Back Up to 30% Performance
Following its surprise announcement during this year's gamescom Opening Night Live, The Witcher 3 Remastered is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. While the number of improvements to gameplay is staggering and well thought out, what most were looking forward to was the visual uplift, which includes very demanding path tracing support on PC. Thankfully, a mod has already come to the rescue, as it did after the launch of the Next-Gen update, optimizing both ray tracing and path tracing for better performance with minimal loss of quality. "Faster RT/PT in The Witcher […]
Immigrants with legal status at risk of being dropped from Medicaid
The One Big Beautiful Bill ends eligibility for refugees, asylees, trafficking victims and others, and its impact could be larger than initially predicted.
14 Los Angeles art shows to see this fall off the beaten path
There's a lot to look forward to in the L.A. art scene this fall. So much so that we had to make a second list. Here are our picks for what to check out beyond the typical stomping grounds.
Killer mosquitoes, rabid bats and bear attacks: Climate change is making eco-horror feel real
In the 1970s, the environmental movement sparked a string of 'nature rebels' horror films. As climate change increases deadly interaction between humans and wildlife, homicidal rats and frogs no longer seem quite as far-fetched.
Will his health allow Dodgers' Freddie Freeman to deliver another postseason signature moment?
Because of an ailing right knee, the Dodgers don’t really know what you might see out of Freddie Freeman this postseason.
Fewer California Republicans approve of Trump, poll says. That could hurt GOP midterm chances
With gas prices high and an unpopular war dragging on, President Trump’s approval has slipped with California Republicans, a poll shows
Newsom and Harris continue circling, may finally collide
The two San Francisco Democrats have spent decades in tacit competition. Newsom said he would defer to Harris in the presidential race. Did he just give her the upper hand?
Newly proposed federal rules would have “disastrous” impact on Medicaid, insurance funding, state says
Proposed federal rules could cut hundreds of millions of dollars annually for Medicaid and also impact health insurance programs, state says.
Higher Debt Caps to Boost Small Business, Personal Bankruptcies
Federal lawmakers’ move to permanently raise debt limits for bankruptcy relief will give more small businesses and individuals access to options that were previously out of reach under current economic pressures and persistent inflation.
Drugs are widely used to sedate dementia patients. Her sons wanted to keep her off them
Potent sedating medications are often used on agitated people with dementia in long-term care facilities despite federal efforts to discourage them. A clash over whether to drug a Michigan woman illuminates the wrenching decisions families and guardians face.
What's behind HHS claims that gender-affirming care 'may' radicalize
The report is the agency's latest effort to chip away at trust in established health care models for transgender people. Critics say it frames transgender identity as illegitimate or even dangerous.
AI Deepfake Fraud Raises Liability Stakes for Banks and Business
As AI tools improve and spread, deepfake fraud becomes more foreseeable, and liability will depend on whether any party had both a duty and an opportunity to detect the deception, Segal McCambridge attorneys write.
Romanian lawmakers set to vote on new center-right Cabinet as political crisis drags on
Romanian lawmakers are set to vote on a new center-right Cabinet proposed by Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Muresan
Maine’s deluge of political ads is crowding out small businesses
The onslaught of political ads means less airtime for Maine's bakeries, car dealerships, shops, colleges, professional services firms and others looking to get their own messages out.
In the offseason, Giants weren't interested in Joe Flacco
Quarterback Joe Flacco became a free agent in March.
SU Catering failed county health inspection during ‘Citrus in the City’
SU Catering failed a surprise inspection at SU’s August 2026 “Citrus in the City” event, for improperly stored food and other violations.
SU Catering failed county health inspection during ‘Citrus in the City’
SU Catering failed a surprise inspection at SU’s August 2026 “Citrus in the City” event, for improperly stored food and other violations.